UFC on FOX 5's John Albert ready to put controversial loss in the past

Like any fighter, John Albert always learns something from his losses.

However, his latest one – a controversial submission loss to Erik Perez that even UFC President Dana White publicly criticized – taught him little more than the fact that crap happens in MMA.

Regardless, he knows that heading into Saturday’s UFC on FOX 5 bout with Scott Jorgensen, he’s got an opportunity to both save his job and notch a significant career victory.

Albert (7-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and Jorgensen (13-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) are the only fighters competing on Saturday’s Facebook-streamed prelims at Seattle’s KeyArena. Their bout precedes higher-profile bout that are on the FX-televised preliminary card and FOX-televised main card.

Their placement could be the result of both fighters being stuck in two-fight losing skids. Albert’s, though, comes with an asterisk. After all, at The Ultimate Fighter 15 Finale in June, referee Kim Winslow prematurely halted Albert’s bout with Erik Perez. Albert was fighting off an armbar but didn’t tap out or verbally submit.

Still, he takes some of the blame.

“I blame myself for letting myself get in the armbar position,” he told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “I didn’t tap, physically or verbally whether or not Kim Winslow thought my arm was in danger. I’m just more disappointed I let myself get into that position.

“I was winning like four minutes and 20 seconds of it, and then like the last 10 seconds he was winning it. I don’t know what I can learn from that. Maybe, ‘Don’t get caught in an armbar position.'”

It was his third loss in four pro fights, and he got no further than the quarterfinal round as a “TUF 14″ cast member a year prior. So admittedly, when the fight was halted, Albert’s mind raced.

“I was so distraught and disappointed, I didn’t even know what to do,” he said. “I was just sitting there with my mouth open going, ‘What just happened? I can’t believe this is over.’ I had thoughts going through my head. ‘I’m going to get fired. I’m not going to get paid my win bonus.’ All these things, like my career is over.”

But once Albert got backstage, UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby apologized and assured him he’d get another opportunity. Additionally, White went to Twitter to blast the stoppage and assure fans that Albert would receive his win bonus anyway.

“It gave me that choked-up feeling,” he said. “Everybody knows who Dana White is. He is the UFC. To have that guy sit there and acknowledge me and and notice me … that’s huge.

Albert now carries that reassurance into Saturday’s bout, which comes in his home state. He expects a large cheering section, and with a victory, he believes he’ll make some waves in his decision.

After all, Jorgensen is a former WEC title challenger, and despite his two-fight skid, Albert said you could still rank him anywhere from top five to top 25 in the division.

“I hope he’s not looking past me, but I feel like he’s still a top-10 opponent,” he said. “If you look at the guys he’s beat, the guys he’s fought, the title opportunities he’s had and the two people he lost to (recently), he’s still a top-10 fighter in my book.

“I think this win is going to really propel me, and people are going to recognize me a lot more, for sure.”

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

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